Earl of Hearts(33)

"Aye, m'lord. That's what my girls and I will tell them." She gave a satisfied nod.

He admired the woman's spirit, but was still concerned that she and her  serving maids would come to harm at the hands of Somersby's hired scum.  "Do not turn your back on these men. My wife is not exaggerating. They  are hired killers."         

     



 

She rolled up her sleeves to expose her beefy arms. "I'm used to drunken  louts and their brawling ways. I keep a loaded shotgun in the taproom. I  won't hesitate to use it on those scoundrels if they dare harm any of  my girls. Get on with ye, now. I'll keep 'em distracted as long as I  can."

John grinned. "If I weren't already married, I'd propose to you on the  spot." He bowed over her hand, bringing a girlish blush to her plump  cheeks.

"Aw, get off safely. That'll be reward enough for me."

He and Nicola had almost made it to the hired vessel when more of  Somersby's men caught sight of them. Perhaps they were the same men who  had called upon Mrs. Wilkins. No matter, they had been noticed. John  thrust Nicola none too gently behind him.

"Ack! What are you-"

Her question was interrupted by a round of shots fired at them. An  innocent passerby was grazed in the leg, but John quickly assessed that  the man was not too badly harmed. "Run, Nicola. We're in sight of the  Avalon. Climb aboard and stay there. Tell the captain to be ready to  sail at once. I'll be along as soon as I take care of Somersby's men."

"But John-"

"They're busy reloading their weapons. Do as I say. Blast it, Nicola. Run!"

To his relief, she obeyed and made her way up the gangplank as fast as  her legs would carry her. More shots rang out. He felt one bullet fly  past his ear, a little too close for comfort. But it also meant they  were concentrating their attention on him and ignoring Nicola for the  moment.

He waited until she was safely aboard the Avalon, and then withdrew his  knife from its sheath in the lip of his boot. He turned to face the  villains. Although he'd served as an agent of the Crown for many years,  he was not a man who ever took death lightly.

But these men would kill Nicola unless he stopped them.

So that's what he was going to do …  kill them first.





CHAPTER 14





NICOLA REMAINED ON deck, worriedly peering through the ship's railing  and careful to keep herself out of harm's way. The whiz and pop of shots  being fired had sent everyone on the dock scampering for cover and she  could no longer see John. This latest round of gunfire seemed to be  coming from one direction, all the shots aimed at the spot where she'd  last seen him.

John wasn't firing back.

Had he been hit? Was he hurt?

She ground her teeth in frustration, wishing she could do something to  help him. All she had was a thick wooden oar that she'd grabbed off a  small rowboat strapped to the ship's prow. The vessel on which John had  booked passage for them was a sturdily built northern whaler, one of  many that regularly sailed out of Aberdeen. "John, where are you?" she  whispered, knowing he'd be angry that she'd remained on deck instead of  hiding below and angrier if she were to leave the vessel to find him.

She wouldn't leave for fear the captain might hoist anchor and sail off  without them. So, she had to remain in her hiding spot, ready to crack  the man's skull in two if he dared raise the gangplank before John was  aboard.

But a wooden oar that was too heavy for her to lift did not make for an  effective weapon. She'd seen several small harpoons stowed in the  rowboat where she'd found the oar. Hurrying back to the rowboat, she  grabbed two of them and then quickly returned to her hiding spot and  tried to catch sight of John.

The sun shone brightly overhead. It took Nicola a moment to realize the  flashes of gold that appeared to be moving among the crates lining the  dockside were glints of sunshine reflecting off John's hair. "You're  alive. Thank goodness," she whispered, and watched him slip between  those crates.

He was quietly making his way behind the assailants. Those villains were  unaware and still concentrating their shots in the direction they  believed they had him pinned down. Nicola flinched when a burst of shots  suddenly erupted, and then all was silent.

Where was John?

Had he been wounded?

She was about to go in search of him when he suddenly came into view.  Several dock workers ran over to him, offering assistance. One of them  had been struck in the arm. John took a moment to make certain the man's  injury was not serious.

He then turned to the others and spoke to them briefly, but she was too  far away to hear what he was saying to them. It appeared he was leaving  them to deal with Somersby's men.

Nicola shuddered.

If Somersby's men were not dead, they would be by the time the  authorities were called in. These workers were not to be trifled with.  They'd seek justice for what those villains had done. They'd shot at  least one of their workers as well as the bystander wounded earlier.         

     



 

Retribution would be swift.

That gave Nicola no comfort. Somersby's men were everywhere, seemingly  able to find them no matter which road they traveled. John must have  been thinking the same, for his expression, as he gazed at the Avalon,  was grim.

He ran a hand through his hair and began to walk toward the ship. Nicola  stepped out from her hiding spot and was about to meet him on the  gangplank, when Selena, pistol in hand, darted out from behind some  crates and intercepted him as he was about to climb aboard. "I'll need  that book, darling."

John's expression turned thunderous. "You told Somersby's men where to  find us. You might have gotten Nicola killed," he said with a growl,  ignoring the pistol she now had pointed at his chest.

The wind carried John's words upward so that Nicola could hear what he  was saying. His concern warmed her heart. But Selena's response, filled  with haughty disdain, left her cold. "So what? I ought to shoot her for  the trick she pulled."

John made a choked sound and shook his head in disbelief. "The trick she  pulled? And what about you? I ought to turn you over to the local  magistrate for what you did. Do you realize what's at stake? You led  those men to us. And for what? The sake of your vanity?" He took a step  toward her. "Put down your weapon and climb aboard."

"No. There's no going back to London for me without that book."

John seemed to have ice flowing through his veins, for he did not so  much as flinch when she cocked her pistol that was still pointed at his  chest. "Enough, Selena. You're only making matters worse for yourself.  Tell me what you did to infuriate Prinny. I'll do my best to smooth your  way back into his good graces."

She shook her head and gave a laugh that sounded quite desperate to  Nicola's ears. "It's too late, my darling. Prinny will have nothing more  to do with me. My only hope is to bring him whatever it is that  Somersby's desperate to recover. Forgive me, but I must have that book."

"I know you, Selena. If he refuses you, then you'll sell it to the highest bidder. I can't let you do that."

"I promise to return it to Prinny. There, satisfied? I don't want him to be angry with me anymore."

He shook his head slowly. "As I said, I know you too well. You'll  auction it off and then disappear, leaving the monarchy in upheaval  while you live in luxury off a fat purse somewhere out of Prinny's  reach."

"I won't, John. I give you my word of honor. I'll return it to Prinny."

"If that's true, then put down your pistol and let me pass. You're not  going to interfere with my investigation. That book stays in my hands.  We'll turn it over together."

"No."

"Don't do this, Selena. Go into hiding and keep yourself out of trouble  while I deal with Prinny on your behalf. You have my word of honor that  I'll attend to it at once. But you won't get your hands on that book."

"Ah, my darling. I'm afraid that won't do." Her expression hardened.  "Give it to me now, or I shall be forced to kill you and your simpering  wife."

Simpering? Nicola sorely wanted to throttle this woman. No, that was too  mild for what she deserved. She wanted to pound her fist into her  elegant nose.

What could she do to help John? Selena still had her pistol pointed at  his chest. The oar was too heavy to toss at her. It would fall straight  into the water. But those small harpoons might be of use.

Nicola picked up one and was about to shoot it at her, when Selena  suddenly lowered her pistol, gave it over to John, and flung herself  into his arms.

Nicola still wanted to hurl those harpoons at her, but for completely  different reasons now. Then she wanted to hurl one of those harpoons at  John, for he was actually consoling Selena. Never mind that she'd  threatened to kill him only moments ago. Her body was pressed so close  to his that not a single ray of light could pass between them.